A Right Brain Mind in a Left Brain World (9 page)

They arrive at the Convent of the F.C.J. Sisters off the South Circle, Road in Limerick at Eleven Thirty; the grounds of the convent there seem to be miles and miles of Lawn, with conifers dotted here and there to break it up.

At reception the lady there asks, Jenny and her parents to take a seat and tells them Mother George will be with them in just a moment. It feels like they have just sat down when a Lady with a beautiful grey wool suit arrives into the room and walks directly to Jenny, she is holding her hand out to shake, Jenny’s

‘Hello Jenny I’m Mother George, but please just call me George everyone does. Why don’t you come with me and we will go up to our medical suites. Before we go in, I just want to explain a little about Jane, she will be delighted to have visitors, and when you chat to her, she sometimes likes to repeat what you say. But chances are she will have forgotten it all again five minutes after you have left its takes some getting used to.’

They walk up the wide oak stairs in silence, Jenny can feel her palms begin to sweat, and she just hopes she doesn’t faint. Mother George has come to a stop outside a large open door.

‘Here we are, enjoy your morning and Leila, Jane’s assistant will bring you up some tea shortly.’

Jenny and her Parents stand at the end of Jane’s bed; Jenny can see the resemblance is remarkable the same hair colouring, the same colour eyes.

‘Hello,’ Jane smiles up at them almost childlike, what’s your name?’ Jane asks, looking directly at Jenny. ‘Have you been here before?’

For a moment Jenny thinks she might cry, she is finding it hard to talk she is so emotional. But she takes a few deep breaths.

‘No Jane I haven’t been here before, but we met a very long time ago my name is Jenny and from now on we will come and visit you very often. Is that Ok with you?’ Jenny asks Jane.

‘Are they your friends,’ Jane asks Jenny nodding at Katie and Ben, with a beaming smile.

‘Yes they are but they’d like to be your friend too if that’s ok.’

‘Oh Goodie,’ Jane shouts and claps her hands, ‘did you bring me something nice.’

‘Yes we did,’ Katie says as she steps forward and takes something from a little silk pouch and puts it around Jane’s neck.

Jenny wonders when her mother had time to plan this little surprise, but she should have known her mother is always so thoughtful.

‘What is it?’ Jane asks looking at it a bit puzzled.

‘It is half a heart, and it has Jenny’s name on it so you will remember her next time, and Jenny will wear her half of the heart with your name on hers. So next time Jenny comes to visit you can put the two half’s of the heart together and it will become one. So it might be easier to remember you have met before.’

‘What an excellent idea.’ Jenny says as her dad put Jenny’s chain around her neck and gives her a quick hug.

The rest of the day pass’s, as they chat and laugh with Jane, and her assistant Leila, you could see how happy and well cared for she is.

As they drove home that evening Jenny sat thinking about everything that had happened in the space of just over a week. Today she has met the woman that gave birth to her, and as much as Jenny loves her. Jenny knows that in a way that is all she had been was the woman that had carried her for nine months. She was always destined to be the daughter of Katie and Ben Murphy from the minute she was conceived, Jenny is sure of that now. But she would always be eternally grateful to Jane for giving her such wonderful Parents.